The toy fox terrier is a small dog breed native to North America, known for their athletic body, predominantly white glossy coat, and large, erect, V-shaped ears. This tiny and playful package comes with a huge personality. The breed was developed when breeders crossed small smooth fox terriers with various toy dogs.
Learn more about the toy fox terrier’s history, personality, and care needs.
GROUP: Toy
HEIGHT: 8.5 to 11.5 inches
WEIGHT: 4 to 7 pounds
COAT: Smooth, shiny, and fine single coat
COAT COLOR: Black, white, and tan; white and tan; white and black; chocolate, white, and tan; white and chocolate; spots and ticking can sometimes be found on the body
LIFE SPAN: 13 to 15 years
TEMPERAMENT: Playful, friendly, loyal, intelligent, alert, spirited
HYPOALLERGENIC: No
ORIGIN: United States
Toy fox terriers tend to form very strong bonds with their families. They are fun-loving and often make eager and playful companions for respectful, but often older, children. This breed has the typical high prey drive of the terriers. You will have to be careful about handling introductions with any cats living in the home, and they may not be best suited to living alongside small furries.
Toy fox terriers are intelligent and energetic. They are very affectionate, like to cuddle, and are known for being lapdogs. They can also be fiercely loyal and make excellent watchdogs. Watch for uncontrolled alert barking or you could have some frustrated neighbors.
Even celebrities love the toy fox terrier. For example, Ashley Greene’s dog is named Marlo and Kristi Yamaguchi named hers Piston.
The toy fox terrier is a true American. The breed was first developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when breeders of smooth fox terriers in the United States crossed them with toy breeds that included the Chihuahua, miniature pinscher, Manchester terrier, and Italian greyhound.
The original fox terriers were introduced in England to force foxes out of their dens to allow the hunt to start their chase. They were known for being brave, determined, and athletic. Breeders of the toy fox terrier wanted a smaller dog with similar characteristics. These little dogs would still be ferocious ratters around farms and homesteads but would have a gentler disposition than their bigger relatives.
Their size, smarts, and agility meant they also became popular additions in traveling circuses, and could often be found on the arm of a clown, performing tricks for a captivated audience. This also helped endear them to a wider audience.
The United Kennel Club recognized toy fox terriers in 1936, but the American Kennel Club didn't give them official full breed status until 2003.
Toy fox terriers are super smart, confident, affectionate, and lively. Although they are small, they will always let you know when they're in the room, and that energy can sometimes make them a bit of a challenge.
They are playful, wily, and full of beans, so making sure they have a good selection of enrichment activities and interactive toys will be essential. These dogs will likely find their own, much less appropriate, ways of keeping themselves entertained otherwise.
Because of their small size and low exercise needs, toy fox terriers are a good choice for pet parents living in apartments.
You will need to make sure that your toy fox terrier gets plenty of exercise. A quick walk around the block isn't enough for these spritely and adaptable characters. Instead, a vigorous 30-minute walk every day will burn off excess energy.
This dog will also enjoy accompanying you on hikes and can make a great agility competitor. There are a number of champion toy fox terriers in various dog sports.
Because this is a toy breed that could easily get hurt, the toy fox terrier isn’t a good choice for families with children who may not know how to be gentle with their pet.
The toy fox terrier has a low-maintenance and basic grooming regime. The dog's smooth, short coat only sheds moderately and will need weekly brushing to remove dead hairs and keep it looking shiny and healthy.
As with all dogs, it's important to brush your terrier's teeth to prevent dental disease. Also, check and clean their ears often, making sure they aren’t showing signs of an infection that would require a vet’s attention.
Toy fox terriers don't have as much of a stubborn and willful streak as some of their terrier relatives. These intelligent little creatures are eager to please, which means they respond well to training using reward-based methods. They also love to learn fun tricks, which will keep them happily occupied.
You will have to work hard on achieving a rock-solid recall around distractions, and they may even need to stay on the leash in certain environments where there's too much temptation to chase small animals like squirrels or rabbits.
It will be best to give your terrier early, appropriate, and ongoing socialization. If you don't, the dog will become too protective and will become more of a guard dog than a chipper playmate.
Toy fox terriers are generally considered to be robust little dogs who can live a long and healthy life. As with any breed, however, they can be prone to certain inheritable conditions.
By finding a reputable breeder that performs the recommended health checks on prospective parents, you can reduce the risk of some of these conditions developing.
Some of the health problems they can be prone to include:
Toy fox terriers are small dogs, so they typically only need up to 1/2 cup of food daily, split into at least two meals.
As with any dog, you should feed your toy fox terrier high-quality food and a properly portion-controlled diet. It can be tempting to spoil your dog with tasty treats and table scraps, but obesity is a major problem for dogs, and it can lead to a host of more serious health problems, such as diabetes.
The importance of finding a good breeder when you are searching for a puppy can't be overstated. It means you will have a much better chance of having a healthy and well-socialized pup that has had the best start in life. Depending on the breeder, expect to pay between $600 to $1,200 for a toy fox terrier puppy.
Have you considered adopting a toy fox terrier or similar breed? Offering a forever home to a dog in need can be a hugely rewarding experience. There are lots of deserving terriers in shelters across the country, or you could reach out to breed-specific rescues.
Here are a few good places to start your research:
The toy fox terrier is an adorable, lovable, and amusing little dog that will always keep you smiling and laughing. They are energetic and need daily exercise, and they’re affectionate so they need a lot of attention from their human family. Also, because they’re smart, they can be fun to train to do tricks.
If you are interested in dogs similar to the toy fox terrier you could also consider the following breeds:
There are lots of wonderful dog breeds out there. By doing your research, you will find one that will be best suited to having a forever home with you.
Toy fox terriers make great pets for individuals and families with older children who know how to gently handle them. These dogs like being active but also enjoy cuddling. However, they have a high prey drive, so they might not be good with other pets.
If you can keep up with a toy fox terrier's impulsive shenanigans and exercise requirements, they could be a good choice for a first-time dog parent. This small breed is also recommended for apartment living, but fair warning that you'll likely need to curb the barking, which can be loud coming from a tiny dog like this.
Many dog breeds, including toy dogs like toy fox terriers and Chihuahuas, tend to shake when excited, anxious, or cold. It may be that the dog can't jump or run, so they tremble as a way to expel some energy. Short-term shaking in a dog may be normal, but if the shaking is starting to affect the dog's daily life, take them to the veterinarian to see if there's a medical reason for the shaking.
This breed might only be aggressive towards other dogs. The toy fox terrier tends to think they can intimidate much larger dogs, and though it is comical to watch, you'll likely need to protect your tiny tyke from their own bluster, especially when in dog parks or out walking.
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